Press Releases, 10/5/2017

Foreign Minister Soini to visit Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo

Press release 170 /2017 5 October 2017

Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will visit Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo on 9–11 October. The visit to Macedonia and Serbia will be a joint visit with Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margot Wallström.

This is the first joint visit by Soini and Wallström. The joint visit highlights the close relations between Finland and Sweden in a concrete manner and will provide an opportunity for effective communication of common views. Finland and Sweden support the European integration of the Western Balkan countries and emphasise the importance of regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations between these countries.

In Macedonia, the Ministers will meet Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Dimitrov. In Serbia, the Ministers will meet President Aleksandar Vučić and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić. The themes of the discussion will include the countries’ European integration and the regional situation in Western Balkans.

In Kosovo, Minister Soini will meet Minister of Foreign Affairs Behgjet Pacolli and other representatives of the country’s top leadership. The themes of their discussions will include, among other things, development of the bilateral relations and Kosovo’s European integration. Additionally, Minister Soini will open a joint project between the Finland and Kosovo, aiming to develop the prison administration in Kosovo.